A review by cstein
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

adventurous lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Could benefit from additional and repeat explanations of various imagined words, a large cast of characters and their connections to one another, and the histories and geographies of several fictional countries. Some relationships and events (specifically, what should have been the climatic battle) were more or less convincingly fleshed out. Nonetheless, an engrossing escapist read that kept my interest for weeks.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cursing and Alcohol